


Brave Boy

by Evie_adams273



Category: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: Draco loves his son more than the waking world, Draco's POV, Gen, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Compliant, Parent Draco, Post-Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Scorpius gets ill, Scorpius is his mother's son, Written in snapshots, if it rained on the Quidditch pitch, it's set in Scotland, much happier than my previous story, of course it rained, trying to improve, weaker immune system
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-04
Updated: 2020-04-04
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:02:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23427439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evie_adams273/pseuds/Evie_adams273
Summary: It rained on the Quidditch Pitch, and Scorpius' immune system isn't that strong in the best of times.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy & Albus Severus Potter, Draco Malfoy & Scorpius Malfoy, Scorpius Malfoy & Albus Severus Potter
Kudos: 46





	Brave Boy

Draco didn’t let go of Scorpius until they made it into the church. Part of him never wanted to let go of his son again, but Scorpius still didn’t seem entirely comfortable. Draco understood. He knew that they couldn’t just snap into a relationship that would work. It would take time. But Draco would be there the whole time, waiting.

When it had been confirmed by the others that they were now just playing the waiting game, Draco took Scorpius off to the side of the Church, finding them somewhere to sit. Scorpius kept shivering and Draco took his hand, wincing slightly at his icy skin.

“It was raining on the Quidditch Pitch,” Scorpius mumbled. “And it snowed earlier.”

“Are you wet?”

“A bit.”

Draco pulled out his wand, slowing his movements when Scorpius flinched slightly. When Scorpius relaxed again, Draco waved his wand and dried Scorpius’ clothes. Scorpius leaned against him, allowing Draco to put an arm around him.

“You should get some sleep,” he murmured.

“I slept on the way here,” Scorpius said. “I – if I go to sleep…”

“Well, just rest, then.”

“Stay?”

“I’ll be right here.”

* * *

When Harry collapsed onto the Church floor, Draco turned to look, his stomach lurching at the sight. Albus and Ginny were trying to help him, but Draco didn’t have time to concentrate on that. He silenced Delphi and then turned back to Scorpius, who was waiting for him.

He could see the obvious fear on Scorpius’ face, the silent pleading to not have to watch what was about to happen. But Draco knew he couldn’t stop it from coming. This wasn’t his call to make, wasn’t his decision.

Everything he had tried to shelter his son from had come crashing in on them, and now this was going to be the end of it.

Draco took Scorpius’ hand, following the others out of the church. Scorpius still seemed a little wary to stand too close, but when he started to shiver again, he moved towards his dad again.

When the screaming started, Draco tried to block it out. He had to look after Scorpius. He had to keep Scorpius safe. He couldn’t let the sounds take him back to everything in his past.

As it got worse, he held Scorpius tighter, whispering to him and trying to reassure him that it would all be okay. Scorpius was shaking and sobbing, his head buried in Draco’s chest. Draco closed his eyes, straining to keep drawing in oxygen.

* * *

Scorpius hadn’t stopped shaking when they arrived back at Hogwarts. At first, Draco hadn’t been overly concerned due to what they had been witnessing, but now it was starting to worry him. He didn’t say anything however until they reached the Hospital Wing and Scorpius stumbled a few paces.

Draco sat him down on a bed, placing a hand on Scorpius forehead. Scorpius looked at him, his gaze slightly blank. 

“I’m taking you home,” Draco said softly. “You’ve got a fever.”

“No,” Scorpius tried to shake his head. “No. Stay – stay with Albus…”

“Scorpius.”

“Please…please, dad…”

Draco was about to reply when Albus knelt down beside him. He didn’t look the best, but he still looked better than Scorpius. He put a hand on Scorpius’ knee, half-smiling.

“Scorp,” he murmured, “you’re ill. And you’ve been through hell and back. Please go home.”

“Need – need you…”

“I’m going to be okay,” Albus promised. “I’m going home too. I promise you, I’ll be okay.”

Scorpius nodded, his hands still shaking. Beads of sweat were starting to form on his face and Draco helped him to his feet. They limped over to the fireplace, bidding goodbye to the others, and then they climbed onto the ash.

* * *

Scorpius’ entire body was shaking by the time that they made it to his room. Draco helped him into bed, his heart breaking slightly as Scorpius pulled the duvet over himself.

“I’m just going to get you a Pepperup potion,” Draco started to move away, but Scorpius reached out to him slightly.

“Please don’t go,” he coughed a couple of times. “Please…dad…”

“I’ll be two minutes,” Draco promised. “But you need to take the potions.”

“I’ll be okay. Dad…”

He coughed again and Draco bit his lip. He wanted to stay with Scorpius and help him, but he also recognised the need for a Pepperup potion. Normally, Draco would not approve of using magic to cure something potentially trivial, but after everything Scorpius had been through, Draco didn’t want to have him suffer more.

He needed less than two or three minutes to get the necessary potions, but another look at his son told Draco that staying was more important now. So he settled on the bed next to Scorpius, placing a hand on his side.

“I’ll stay,” he murmured. “But in the morning, you need to take those potions.”

Scorpius nodded, lying down properly. He had stopped shaking somewhat, but he still seemed feverish and reluctant to sleep. As the time started to pass, Draco didn’t say anything. He didn’t want to push Scorpius, but Scorpius just kept lying there, staring forward blankly.

“Do you want to talk about what happened?”

Scorpius shook his head, groaning slightly. Draco moved to try and fix whatever it was that was causing his son pain, but Scorpius relaxed again. He didn’t speak again before he fell asleep.

* * *

Scorpius hadn’t really improved when he woke up, but his sleeping had allowed Draco to go and find the relevant potions and bring multiple doses up to Scorpius’ room, while also letting him be there when Scorpius woke up.

Scorpius didn’t move when he did wake, allowing his dad to give him the potion and then lying back down, staring at the ceiling. Draco suggested food, but Scorpius said he was feeling sick. Draco had still found some food because Scorpius hadn’t eaten since at least before he arrived in Godric’s Hollow.

“Do you think Albus is sick too?” Scorpius croaked, his eyes drifting open and closed.

“He didn’t look like he was ill. But you’ve got a weaker immune system than him, so it’s not entirely surprising.”

“And Unforgiveable Curses make you more vulnerable.”

Draco was about to nod and agree when the full gravitas of what his son had said dawned on him. He forced himself to keep breathing. He had to remain calm for Scorpius.

Scorpius. Who had never done anything except try to love and care for people around him. Scorpius. Who had been through more pain in fourteen years than some people experienced in a lifetime. Scorpius. Who was little more than a child.

“Do you mind me asking what happened?” Draco murmured. “It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it.”

“Three times,” Scorpius croaked. “Me. Not Albus. Nearly Albus…”

Draco didn’t know whether Scorpius’ lack of clarity was down to his illness or the memories themselves, but he didn’t push it. He had never intended to push it. He took Scorpius’ hand, not really sure what else he could do right now. If Scorpius didn’t want to talk about it, he wasn’t going to ask to talk about it.

Not on the morning after. Not when Scorpius was this sick.

He seemed to have picked up slightly now that he had taken the potions, manoeuvring himself into a sitting position.

“Could I see Albus?” 

“You’re still quite unwell.”

“Not today, then. But – soon?”

Draco nodded. “I’ll send an owl to Ginny.”

* * *

Draco led Albus upstairs, unsure what to say to make some conversation. He had left Scorpius asleep so they probably had a few minutes to fill, and Draco wanted to try and be friendly.

Albus didn’t look that much in the mood for conversation. It didn’t look as if he’d slept that much, and he seemed paler.

“How have you been?” Draco asked quietly, stopping outside Scorpius’ bedroom. He glanced inside to see that Scorpius was still asleep, and closed the door again. “Give him a few minutes to wake up.”

“Okay,” Albus nodded. “I’m – I’m all right. I guess. How has he been?”

“He hasn’t said much about what happened, but I’ve got some idea.”

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“It was my fault. What happened was my fault.”

“I think enough people have messed up here that it’s not your blame to take anymore.”

“On the Quidditch Pitch,” Albus said quietly, his tone firm. “What happened there was my fault. He got hurt – he’s hurting – because of me. I’m sorry.”

“I’m not angry.”

“Oh?”

“Scorpius asked to see you almost immediately. He doesn’t hold anything against you. I won’t either.”

Albus looked down at the floor, fiddling with his jumper sleeve.

“Albus, look at me.”

Albus did so.

“You made some serious mistakes. As did the rest of us. You fixed your mistakes, and you got hurt. You are a child. Being angry with you when you were manipulated and abused is not the right thing to do.”

“When we were in Godric’s Hollow,” Albus mumbled, his voice crackling, “before we worked out the things about the blanket, Scorpius said – he said he wished he could tell you that he was occasionally capable of more bravery than you might think he is.”

Draco hadn’t realised that it was possible for his heart to ache more at this moment. He looked at Albus, trying to find the words to respond with. The fact that Scorpius had said that, in all sincerity, was something that would eat him from the inside out.

Albus was still staring at the floor, biting his lip, and Draco blinked back a few tears to look at him.

“Thank you,” he murmured. “Thank you for telling me.”

“He loves you. He was so scared that we wouldn’t get back. He wanted to make things right.”

“I do too. And I will. That’s a promise you can hold me to.”

Albus smiled a little.

* * *

Draco settled on the end of Scorpius’ bed as Scorpius sat up. His fever had gone down slightly, but he still looked quite pale. He smiled at his dad, drawing his knees up to his chest.

“Do you think I could go back to school soon?”

“When you’re feeling better,” Draco nodded. “Are you sure you want to?”

“I want to try and carry on,” Scorpius mumbled. “Normally. With Albus. I’ll be okay with Albus.”

“I’m happy to let you go back,” Draco said, “but if you need to come home, for whatever reason, just let me know and we can sort it out.”

“I’ll be okay,” Scorpius nodded. “Honestly dad, I’ll be okay.”

Draco looked at Scorpius silently, unable to comprehend how his son had grown so much in the last year and Draco detested himself for missing it. But he wouldn’t miss it again.

“I was talking to Albus,” he said quietly. “When he arrived, you were still asleep.”

Scorpius started to look visibly nervous.

“I want you to know,” Draco looked at him, “that you are the bravest person I know. You’re braver than anyone else I’ve ever known. And I’ve always known. Even if I haven’t been able to say. I’ve known and I am so proud of you.”

“I’m not brave,” Scorpius muttered. “I’m terrified. I’m terrified all the time.”

“And that makes you braver. You’re scared. But you still get up in the morning. You still face up to the evil in this world. You still do your best to do the right thing.”

“Mum was better.”

“You are your mother’s son, Scorpius. And you are every bit as brave as she is. Maybe even more.”

Scorpius didn’t reply.

“She would be so proud of you. Of what you’ve come through. Even if it’s not over yet, but this is the stretch where you will emerge on the other side. And we will all we be here to help you through.”

Scorpius bit his lip. “How did you get better?”

Draco paused. He had never talked to anyone about this before. Astoria had been there for him, but they hadn’t really talked about the process. But Scorpius was his son. Scorpius had been braver than anyone he had ever known. He could be half as brave.

“I had your mother,” he murmured. “I had someone who accepted me and helped me change for the better. Someone who stayed with me in the bad times and talked me out of the stupid things. You have me. You have Albus. You can do this.”

Scorpius nodded, starting to smile a little. Draco smiled back, wiping away a tear from Scorpius’ cheek.

**Author's Note:**

> So the play is set in Scotland. In October. If you try and tell me that it wasn't going to rain while they were on the Quidditch Pitch. I know why they can't do it during the show because the health and safety would be horrific. But I can still write an aftermath of that situation.  
> This is less sad than I wanted it to be.  
> Thanks for reading  
> Kudos and comments much appreciated  
> Twitter: @evie_adams273


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